The iconic Lamborghini Countach advanced through several iterations of development over its 26-year production lifespan, notably including the highly celebrated LP5000 QV introduced at the 1985 Geneva Salon. With an increased displacement of 5,167 cubic centimeters, the so-called Quattrovalvole featured four valves per cylinder, and the European version was equipped with a more powerful carbureted intake, making it the world’s first and only 48-valve, carbureted V-12 supercar.

A revision from sidedraft to downdraft carburetors, identifiable by the “power dome” on the engine cover, contributed to an unprecedented rating of 455 horsepower, a dividend of roughly 87 horses from the outgoing European-specification Countach 5000 S. This arrangement led to the European-spec version being informally dubbed the QV “Downdraft.” Capable of rocketing to 60 mph from standstill in just 4.1 seconds, with a top speed of 195 mph, the LP5000 QV was built in a modest quantity of 631 examples through mid-1988, approximately 300 of which were specified for Europe. These “Downdraft” cars represent the top of the Countach food chain and continue to be revered as the most powerful Countach example produced.

Boasting a four-year concours restoration, executed at great expense, this impressive Quattrovalvole is a particularly desirable example. According to the combined information from a Lamborghini factory ledger, and the respective data of the International Lamborghini Registry and the Countach Register, chassis number FLA12877 is approximately the 78th car by numbering sequence. It was specified as a European example featuring downdraft carburetors, instruments in kilometers, small square side markers, and the more elegant non-US bumpers; and finished in Nero Tenebre paint over a Nero interior.

Completing assembly in July 1985, the Lamborghini was delivered to the British dealer Portman Garage, reportedly earmarked for preferred client Stanisław Zagórski. Mr. Zagórski was a well-known New York-based Italian car enthusiast and Lamborghini collector who forged a dynamic career in graphic design, creating the cover art for numerous iconic rock n’ roll and jazz albums. Whether Mr. Zagórski actually took delivery of the Countach is currently unknown, but the car is reported to have been sold later in 1986 to Whiteford Bean of Norwood, Massachusetts.

By 2011 the car was owned by Lamborghini enthusiast Richard Molke of Short Hills, New Jersey, and he commissioned an engine rebuild and other mechanical refurbishment by the renowned Evans Automotive in Columbus, Ohio. Seven years later, Mr. Molke opted for a more comprehensive overhaul when he submitted the car to the marque specialists at Dugan Enterprises in Oceanside, California. Dugan conducted a full restoration of every chassis component and ancillary system, as well as a breathtaking refinish in the original shade of Nero Tenebre with a complementary Nero leather interior.

In 2021, Mr. Molke decided to bow out of the cost-intensive process, and the Countach went through the purview of one of the world’s most respected vintage Lamborghini brokers to find a new owner. During this time, the “Downdraft” participated in a small handful of events, running the 2021 Countach Rally 50th Year Edition, and being presented at the prestigious The Quail–A Motorsports Gathering.

In October 2021 the QV was sold to the consignor, a respected collector based in Northern California, and he dutifully assumed the mantle of sponsoring the remainder of Dugan’s refurbishment. Ultimately completed in mid-2023, the four-plus-year restoration cost in excess of $611,000 according to invoices on file, and it has left the car in an immaculate state of presentation. This figure does not include the $77,000 engine rebuild or the $14,000 of fine tuning that was conducted post-restoration.

Embracing a flexibility of the most iconic options available on the QV model, chassis FLA12877 is offered with two different sets of proper OZ wheels (gold and silver), and two different rear decklid configurations (one with the aerodynamic wing, and one without). The next caretaker will therefore have the option of presenting the car in various combinations depending on his or her personal taste.

It is important to note that this Lamborghini bears mechanical stampings consistent with the registry data, demonstrating that the car is desirably equipped with its matching-numbers engine. Displaying 33,010 kilometers (approximately 20,511 miles) at the time of cataloguing, this immaculate Quattrovalvole is accompanied by owner’s manuals in the proper leather pouch and a toolkit. Such a finely restored example of Lamborghini’s most powerful Countach would make a striking addition to any sporting collection, an ideal acquisition for the supercar aficionado or Sant’ Agata enthusiast.